1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the field of tethers, and more particularly to a tether for a domesticated animal.
2. Description of Related Art
Humans have been interacting with domesticated animals for a multiplicity of reasons including companionship and aid. Some of the most common domesticated animals are dogs and cats where their role in daily human life includes companionship, protection, and aid when the animal has been trained to assist a human with mobility, issue detection, and safety. Humans train animals through frequently and repetitively exercising communication, command and control to achieve desired responses from animals. Regardless of the specific use of the animal, a need to maintain physical connection is paramount until behavior responses can be achieved through verbal commands and without a physical connection.
For example, a human takes a dog, not trained to obey a verbal command to heel or perform the desired behavior of walking next to the owner, for walks in public areas. In order to prevent the dog from leaving an acceptable proximity of the owner, a leash is used having a set length to allow for a range of motion for the dog, while the owner maintains a physical connection to the dog in order to control undesired behavior. To train a dog to heel or walk by the owner's side for the purpose of going for walks in public, an owner typically makes connection to the dog with a leash for the purpose communicating desired behavior, establishing verbal commands to the desired behavior and maintaining control during each training session. This is typically done with a 4 to 6 ft tethers or collar and harnesses with built in retractable leashes connected to the animal and held by the owner. The owner grasps the tether at desired points or sets the distance on the retractable leash, to create an optimal distance between the dog and owner giving the owner the ability of using the connection for communicating desired behavior, reinforcing and establishing verbal commands and maintaining control. This practice is conducted frequently and repeatedly on a routine basis or as unwanted behavior occurs to correct or train desired behavior. Successful training is achieved, when the animal can perform desired behavior on verbal command without the use of a tether or leash.
Tethers currently include a static length of material spanning a set distance for connecting to an animal's collar, harness or similar device with the other end being held by the user. The current state of the art, requiring the tether to be connected to a collar, harness or similar device with each use and requiring the user to grasp the tether along various points of the tether to establish the optimum distance in relationship between the animal and owner for proper training or correcting of desired behavior.
Collars and harnesses with built in retractable leashes include a static length of material spanning a set distance with one end connected inside a retractable housing integrated into the collar or harness and a handle on the other end held by the user. The current state of the art, provides for a static leash where the length is predetermined that must be pulled to full draw before a static connection is formed between the animal and the user and it is incapable of being adjusted to the optimal distance between the animal and owner for proper training and behavior correction, as it is simply a length of material between the owner and the animal.
Furthermore, the retractable leash components in current collar and harnesses with built in retractable style leashes, are limited in their dimensions including size weight and shape to meet the functionality of an integrated collar, harness and leash that the animal wears at all times.
A monumental design flaw in the functionality of all collar and harnesses with built in retractable leashes, is that that tethering action relies on applying resistance to the retractor spool as mechanical leash stop and not the leash material or line. For example, the leash material or line must be drawn out to its fullest extent before the retractor is engaged providing a single anchoring point for the entire weight of the connection between the animal and the user. This is a vital flaw in that the leash material or line possessing the tinsel strength required to control the weight of the animal, is unused in place of placing the entire tinsel strength requirement on the limited size and weight limitations of the retractor housing and spool. In this situation, maximum forces not exceeding the tinsel strength of the leash material or line, are transferred to the retractor spool mechanical leash stop.
As a result, a higher potential for failure in the mechanical leash stop failure exists while further limiting the viability and scope of use collar and harnesses with built in leashes for larger animals.
In training a dog, it is crucial to have instant control over actions and reactions of the animal to have frequent and repeated scheduled training sessions using and on the spot sessions when inappropriate behavior occurs. Static leashes can be used to make a connection and used at the proper distance to the dog, but have to be connected with each use, not practical for continuous use and are ineffective for frequent and repeated training or on the spot behavior corrections. Collars and harnesses with built in retractable leashes are effective for continues use but lack the ability to control the leash distance at various distance to support proper training. Having to wait for the full length of leash material to be drawn before control can be exercised is completely ineffective. Furthermore, training aids such as audible devices and tactile stimulation are separate components that require the use of a separate hand for the user to operate.
As part of cognitive learning, animals have certain inherent characteristics and instinctual responses to external stimuli that can be duplicated with effective training but it would require a device to that would allow for an instant connection, frequent and repeated continuous use, and proper communication, command and/or control. Starting at or near their birth, their external environment shapes and conditions their understanding and reactions in order to promote desired behavior of their parents thereby supporting their chances of survival. One of the major factors of their external environment is the control exercised over the animal by their mother and father through cognitive learning control being a frequent and repeated physical connection to the animal exercised by their mother and father, in the wild, through cognitive learning. The ability to communicate, command, and control between animals of the same species incorporates audible commands and physical connection to gain attention or stop unwanted behavior, communication of desired behavior, and a frequent and repeated command and control interaction. Overtime, the juvenile animal learns to appreciate the rational and expected response based on their parent's ability to quickly make a physical connection to communicate desired behavior physically and/or audibly, reinforce command and consistently maintain control.
For example, as part of animal cognitive learning behavior, all dogs and cats are naturally accustomed to a frequent and repeated physical connection to their mothers as she places her mouth on their neck and shoulders, before she physically and/or audibly communicates her desired behavior. It is through this frequent and repeated physical connection to her offspring's neck and upper shoulders, she also establishes her superior to subordinate role and efficiently and effectively implements command and control on a routine basis.
Connecting to her offspring is a natural preparatory action of getting their attention and communicating in and efficient and effective manner. Thus, training through animal cognitive learning is achieved by frequently and repeatedly communicating, commanding and controlling desired behavior on a routine basis. When intermittent unwanted behavior occurs, the mother uses the same physical connection but only for controlling or minimizing unwanted behavior through on the spot training.
In training, it is necessary to understand the difference between command and control. Successful animal training is defined through a clear distinction between command and control of behavior. Commanding requires a superior to efficiently and effectively communicate desired behavior to a subordinate and; the subordinate's ability and willingness to perform desired behavior. Controlling requires a superior to only have the ability stop, minimize or prevent a subordinate from performing undesired behavior.
Ultimately, training between a human and an animal is focused on recreating this interaction of command, communication, and control between the animal and it parents. This is accomplished through repetition of commands accompanied by a positive or negative reaction. Repetition in this sense being the human's ability to instantly make a connection for the purpose of proper training or correct unwanted behavior or the spot frequently and repeatedly enough to achieve desired behavior. This can be done efficiently and effectively with a new device that would allow the user to quickly make a physical connection to pet instinctive cognitive learning through communicating desired behavior physically and/or audibly, reinforce command and consistently maintain control.
The continuous command, communication, and control not only requires adaptability of the length of physical connection between the user and the animal, but also a rapid response mechanism to allow the user to enforce their control immediately without having to establish a set distance. The current state of the art fails in allowing any structure to support such adaptability as the current art is limited to a single style of connection.
Common pet collars and harnesses form a suitable connection at the neck and upper shoulder of dogs and cats, but have a design flaw requiring a tether to be connected before they can be effective tor training desire behavior. Common tethers have design requiring them to be connected to collar or harnesses making them completely ineffective for on the spot training to correct intermittent unwanted behavior and highly inefficient for continuous use to support frequent and repeated routine training. Collars and harnesses with built in retractable leashes, form a suitable connection at the neck and upper shoulder of dogs and cats, but unless they are pulled to the full draw they are ineffective. Furthermore, their lack of distance control, make them ineffective for establishing the optimum distance between the animal and the owner suitable for humans to efficiently and effectively communicate desired behavior in a manner supporting pet instinctive cognitive learning behavior. Additionally, their viability for use with larger animals is limited due to the following reasons; inherent size and weight limitations of all retractor housing to allow the animal to carry the device at all times and their inherent critical design flaw placing the entire tensile strength requirement on the retractor spool leash stop mechanism 28 rather on the maximum tensile strength of the leash material or line.
As a result of these design flaws, humans are typically unable to efficiently and effectively train frequently and repeatedly enough and animals develop common unwanted behavior. These common unwanted behavioral problems are the primary cause of failed pet owner experiences leading to pet abandonment. In lieu of this, owners are typically left with the following options; seek private professional animal behavioral training, seek group professional animal behavioral training or accept the unwanted pet behavior at home and away. As of result of leashes being impractical for use in the home, puppies and kittens are introduced to collar, harness and leash training too late to avoid behavior problems later in life such as hard leash pull from dogs and fear and anxiety to collars, harnesses and leashes in cats.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a system providing an effective and collar or harness with a built in retractable and adjustable tether where various characteristics of the tether are adjustable and the user has a plurality of control options from a handle of a comprehensive device. A device is needed to allow a user to connect, communicate, command, control, and train a dog with instant response capability to actions and reaction of the animal.